The Perfect Pie Crust Recipe

Making flaky and light pie pastry isn't as hard as it looks, but it does require a little patience. Follow these tips for pie-baking perfection.

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Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

One of the keys to pie-dough making is to use only cold ingredients. To make sure all ingredients stay at a cool temperature, always use ice water when making dough. The less the fats are melted into the dough, the flakier the pastry will be.

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Step 2: Add Water

Step 2: Add Water

Add just enough to bring the dough together. Too much water will toughen the dough, and too little will yield a crumbly texture.

Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

One of the keys to pie-dough making is to use only cold ingredients. To make sure all ingredients stay at a cool temperature, always use ice water when making dough. The less the fats are melted into the dough, the flakier the pastry will be.

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Step 2: Add Water

Add just enough to bring the dough together. Too much water will toughen the dough, and too little will yield a crumbly texture.

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Step 3: Combine

For best results, use a pastry blender to cut the fat into the flour. You can also use a fork to blend the ingredients together. Handle the dough as little as possible to keep it at the proper temperature. Mix it together only until it barely forms a ball when pressed together.

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Step 4: Knead Into Discs

Shape the dough into one or more balls, then press firmly into round disks of equal thickness. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. This will allow time for the gluten to rest, resulting in a more tender crust.

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Step 5: Roll It Out

After removing the dough from the refrigerator, allow it to warm up slightly, or it could crack when rolling out. When rolling, start from the center and roll the dough outward to ensure an even thickness. Turn the dough a quarter turn while rolling out to guarantee even rolling in all directions.

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Step 6: Transfer to Pie Plate

To transfer the dough to a pie plate or tart pan, roll it loosely around the rolling pin and unroll once you have the pin positioned over the dish. Then, gently press the dough into the plate, pushing out any air bubbles. Continue pressing the dough against the sides until it is snugly in place.

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Step 7: Trim Dough

Allow the dough to hang over the edge and trim it according to the decorative pie edge that you've chosen.

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Step 8: Make Air Holes

If blind-baking the pie shell, poke small air holes in the bottom crust with a fork. Blind-baking is necessary if the pie filling does not need to be cooked as long as the crust, or if the filling would make the crust too soggy if added immediately.

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Step 9: Fill, Bake, Enjoy!

To reduce shrinkage, allow the pie shell to chill for 15 minutes before baking or filling and baking.